Middlegame

James Reed is on a mission, like the alchemist who created him: embody the Doctrine of Ethos in two people created for that reason, control them, and thus gain authority over everything. Roger Middleton and Dodger Cheswich are twins separated at birth. Roger has a flair for language, with words showing him how the world works. Dodger lives for numbers: mathematics are what she sees, studies, and understands. As the two meet at different points through their young lives, they begin to unravel the mysteries of their origins and the power they were created to wield. Monitored by Reed and his ruthless, deadly assistant Leigh, Roger and Dodger are on the journey of their lives, breaking down time and space to numbers and words. While in a different vein than her "October Daye" or "InCryptid" series, McGuire's strong narrative voice and vivid worldbuilding persist, as does a kind of magical understanding of a child's power and vulnerability.